Pitcher for base-ball-game apparatus.



No. 861,842. PATBNTED JULY 30, 1907. A. lH. HEITMANN.

PITOHER FOR BASE BALL GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED mm. a. 1901.

2 sums-sum 1.

lNVENTOH WITNESSES I I W47 fllezfinryflz'imam A TTOHNEYS PATENTED JULY 30, 1907. A. H. HEITMANN.

PITGHER FOR BASE BALL GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED rm. 3. 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A TTOHNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT HENRY HEITMANN, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

PITCHER FOR BASE-BALL-GAlillE APPARATUS.

Patented July 30, 1907.

Original application filed October 13,1906, Serial No. 338,790. Divided and this application filed February 8,1907. Serial No. 356,341.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT HENRY HEI'IMANN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Pitcher for Base-Ball- Game Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements in toy baseball game apparatus, and more particularly to the means employed for throwing or pitching the ball; this application being a division of my prior application, Serial No. 338,790, filed October 13, 1906.

The object of the invention is to provide means whereby the direction, speed and distance to which the ball is thrown may be readily controlled, and whereby the greatest possible velocity is secured.

Theinvention consists in certain features of construction and combination of parts, all of which will be fully set forth hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of one corner of a board or table showing my improved pitcher in place; Fig. 2 is a vertical section showing the operating mechanism of the pitcher; Fig. 3 is an inverted plan view of the supporting block for the pitcher, said view being taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2 and in the direction indicated by the arrows; and Fig. 4 is a plan view on the line 33 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction opposite to that indicated by the arrows.

In playing my improved game, I employ a rectangular boardlO adapted to be supported upon a table or upon supporting legs secured to the under side thereof and having an upturned flange or rail 11 surrounding the outer edge thereof, whereby the balls are prevented from rolling off the edge. The'board may be of any suitable form or construction and the pitcher may be located at any desired point thereon; but in the board, a portion of which is illustrated in Fig. 3, I provide a construction similar to that illustrated in the application above referred to. This board is provided with fielders pockets, a portion of one of which is illustrated at 12 in Fig. 1, and back of each of these pockets is provided a guard 13 to prevent the ball from rolling past said pockets. Surrounding the outer edge of the board along the sides thereof, I provide a screen or shield 14 to prevent-the escape of misdirected balls, and preferably this screen or shield terminates a short distance from the pitcher and its operating mechanism, whereby the latter may be manipulated without interference.

As illustrated, the pitcher is supported upon a suiting block 15 and having at its upper end a suitable bearing 19 for a shaft 20. Theupper end of the shaft supports a bearing 21 rigidly secured thereto and extending out through the pitching arm 17 of the player.

The outer end of the bearing is cut to a shape adapted to hold the ball and to represent as closely as possible the hand of the player. This outer end 22 forming the hand, is preferably somewhat spoon-shaped, with the part representing the little finger supporting the ball from beneath and the part representing the thumb supporting it at the rear side. The fingers are curved sufficiently to prevent the ball from leaving the hand other than at right angles to the arm, and thus as the arm is moved by the rotation of the shaft 20, the ball is carried in the hand until the hand is brought to a sudden, stop, whereupon the ball instantly leaves the hand and travels in the desired direction.

The supporting standard extends down through one leg of the player into the supporting block, and the shaft preferably extends down through the other leg and its lower end is supported within a bearing in the upper surface of said block. The shaft 20 carries at. its lower end an operating lever 23 extending out through an opening in the side of the block 15, whereby 61c, and as the shaft 20 is preferably inclined somewhat from the vertical, the hand will be moved upward as it moves forward and the ball will be thrown at a slight upwardly inclined angle.

For rotating the shaft to throw the ball, I preferably provide a spring normally tending to hold the arml7 in its forward limiting position. In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a coil, spring 24 for accomplishing the desired result, and this spring preferably surrounds the lower end of the shaft 20 and has one end thereof secured to said shaft. The opposite end 25 of .the spring abuts against a normally stationary block 26, whereby as the shaft is rotated in one direction the tension of the spring is increased, while when the shaft is released the spring rotates it in the opposite direction. For regulating the tension of the spring, I provide means for adjusting the position of the block-26. This means preferably comprises a screw bolt 27 having one end thereof extending out through one end of the travel longitudinally of the bolt 27 when the latter is rotated.

By means of the mechanism above described, the position of the block Ziimay be readily adjusted, and

, the normal tension of the spring 24 increased or diminished at will. As the spring 24 normally tends to force the end of the lever 23 into engagement with one wall of the recess in the supporting block, I may, if desired, providethat wall with a bearing staple 29 to act as a stop and prevent wearing of the supporting block.

In throwing the ball, the operating lever 23 is withdrawn to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and the ball placed in the hand 22. Upon releasing the lever 23 it immediately moves'into contact with the stop 29 and to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. The hand 22 is thus moved through the arc of a circle and is brought to a sudden stop when in the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The ball instantly leaves the hand on a tangent to the arc through which the hand has been moved, and as the arm moves upward as it rotates the ball will be thrown at a slight upwardangle. With the supporting block 15 held stationary and the tension of the spring 24 remaining constant, it is evident that the ball will be thrown in exactly the same direction each time the device is oper* ated, and that by regulating the spring 24 the direction of the ball is not varied but only the velocity at which it is thrown, and accordingly the elevation and distance to which it is thrown. v

For adjusting the lateral direction of the balls flight, I provide means for adjusting the position of the sup porting block 15 in relation to the board or table 10. Various means may be designed for accomplishing this result, but the specific means illustrated comprises a plurality of plates embedded within the board 10 and having engagement with looking bolts extending through the supporting block 15. One of these plates 30 is secured directly above a recess 31 in the board and is provided with a rectangular opening 32 and a recess 33 in one side of said rectangular opening. The otherpl ate 34 is supported a short distance from the plate 30 and directly above the recess in the board 10.- The plate 34 is provided with a curved slot 36-lying in the arc of a circle, the center of which is located Within the recess 33 of the other plate, and said slot having an enlarged portion 37 adjacent each one or both of its ends. The supporting block 15 carries two bolts 38 and 39 having rectangular heads spaced a short distance below the lower surface of said block. In use the rectangular head of one bolt, as, for instance, 39,

is inserted through the rectangular opening 32 of the plate 30 and moved back beneath the recess 33, whereby it is held from vertical displacement. The block 15 is then swung to a position whereby the rectangular head of the other bolt 38 may pass through one of the the upper ends of the bolts, the engagement of the bolt heads with the plates 30 and 34 may be controlled and the supporting block 15 thus rigidly held in position.

By loosening the bolt 39, the rear of the'bloclt 15 may be moved laterally in respect to the opposite end of the block, and the direction in which the player faces and therefore the direction in which the ball is thrown, may be readily controlled.

I o I I s 1 Having thus described my invention, I claim as new I and desire to'sccure by Letters Patent:

1. A device of the class described, comprising a airmnF,

figure having a substantially rigid body portion and a flexible arm, a shaft extending upward through said body portion, a bar rigidly secured to the end of said shaft and extending outward through said arm, means for holding a ball at the end of said arm, and means for rotating said shaft to move said, arm and throw the ball.

2. A device of the class described, comprising a dummy figure having a hollow body, an arm extending outwardly therefrom and movable in respect to said body, and a hand adapted to hold a ball, a substantially vertical shaft extcndlng upward through said body, means connecting said shaft and said hand, and means for rotating said shaft to move the hand and throw the ball.

3. A device of the class described, comprising a supporting member, a hollow dummy figure mounted thereon and having an arm movable in respect thereto, a substantially vertical shaft extendlng upward from said supporting member through one leg of the figure, a bar extending through said arm of the figure and connecting the hand andsaid shaft, and means adjacent the lower end of said shaft for rotating the same to throw a ball held in the hand.

4. A device of the class described, comprising a supporting member, a hollow dummy figure mounted thereon, a brace extending upward from said supporting member and terminating within said figure. a shaft extending upward from said supporting member and journaled in said brace, a bar carried by said shaft and extending outward through the arm of the figure to the hand thereof, and means for rotating said shaft to throw a ball held 11; the hand.

5. A device of the class described, comprising a supporting member, a hollow 'dummy figure mounted thereon, a brace carried by said supporting member and extending up ward through one leg of the dummy figure, a substantially vertical shaft extending upward from said supporting mem-. her through the other leg of the figure and journaled with in said brace, a bar secured to said shaft and extending outward through the arm of said figure to the hand thereof, and means for rotating said shaft to throw a ball held in the hand.

6. A device of the class described, comprising a supporting member, a hollow dummy figure having an arm and a hand adapted to hold a ball, a substantially vertical shaft extending upward from said supporting member to a point adjacent the upper end of said figure, a bar secured to said shaft and extending through said arm'to the hand of the figure, a lever at the lower end of said shaft for rotating the same a limiteddistance inone direction, and automatic means for rotating said-shaft a limited distance in the opposite direction to throw the ball. I

7. A device of the class described, comprising a supporting member, a hollow dummy figure having an arm and a hand adapted to hold a ball, a substantially vertical shaft extending upward from said supporting member to a point adjacent the upper end of said figure, a bar secured to said shaft and extending through said arm to the hand of the figure, a lever at the lower end of said shaft for rotating the same a limited distance in one direction, and a spring for rotating said shaft a llmiteddistance in the opposite direction to throw the ball. I

8. A device of the class described, comprising a supporting member, a hollow dummy figurehaving an arm and a hand adapted to hold a ball, a substantially vertical sh'att extending upward from said supporting member to a point adjacent the upper end of said figure, a bar secured to said shatfimd extending through said arm to the hand of the figure, a lever atthe lower end of said shaft for rotating the same a limited distance in one direction, a spring for ing member, a hollow dummy figure having an arm and a hand adapted to hold a ball, a substantially vertical shaft extending upward from said supporting member to a point adjacent the upper end of said figure, a bar secured to said shaft and extending through said arm to the hand of the figure, a lever at the lower end of said shaft for rotating the same a limited distance in one direction, automatic means for rotating said shaft a limited distance in the opposite direction to throw tlieball, and means for laterally adjusting said supporting member.

10. A device of the class described, comprising a dummy figure having an arm and a hand adapted to hold a ball, a substantially vertical shiift within said figure, a bar connecting said shaft and hand and rigidly secured to the former, a lever at the lower end of said shaft for rotating the same a limited distance in one direction, a coil spring surrounding said shaft and adapted to rotate the shaft a limited distance in the opposite direction, and means for adjusting the tension of said spring, said means comprising a non-rotatahle longitudinally movable nut in engagement with one end of the spring.

11. A device of the class described, comprising a shaft, means carried by one end thereof for holding a ball, a lever secured to the other end thereof for rotating the shaft in one direction, a coil spring surrounding said shaft for rotating the latter in the opposite direction, and a dummy figure inclosing said shaft. g

12. A device of the class described, comprising a rotatable shaft, means carried by one end thereof for supporting a ball, means carried by the other end thereof for rotating the shaft in one direction, a coil spring surrounding said shaft and adapted to rotate the shaft in the opposite direction, and means for regulating the tension of said spring, said means comprising a block in engagement with one end of the spring and screw-threaded means for varying the position of said block.

13. In a device of the class described, means for pitching a ball, said means comprising an inclined shaft, a bar secured to the upper end thereof and having a ball receiving socket at its outer end, a coil spring upon said shaft, a lever for rotating said shaft in one direction in opposition to the action of the springfand means for vary the tension of said spring.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT HENRY HEITMANN. Witnesses C. R. MARTENS, J. E. CHARLES. 

